Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized U.S. attempts to hold China accountable for the spread of the coronavirus on Friday.
"Justice assumes that no one should accuse anyone of anything without proof," Lavrov said in an online interview with Russia's RBK media holding.
He said that no country should accuse other states of committing serious actions that have cost people's lives on the basis of "highly likely" without presenting specific facts.
Lavrov recalled that China reported the coronavirus outbreak, which hit Wuhan, at the end of December, so allegations that Beijing attempted to withhold information related to the virus are incorrect.
"It is of key importance to develop an antidote and find protection against this threat, instead of discussing that as the virus appeared in a certain market so sanctions must be imposed on this or that country," Lavrov said.
He said that all efforts at the moment should be directed not towards accusations, but towards teaming up and creating a vaccine as soon as possible.
